What Is Decaf Coffee – Is It Good For You?

If you are a coffee addict like me, you’ve probably once in a while stumbled across the term ‘Decaf Coffee’ and perhaps even tried it.

“Decaf or ‘decaffeinated coffee’ is a type of coffee made from coffee beans with 97% of the caffeine removed.”

With millions of people drinking coffee every day and hardly 2-4% of them drink decaf, the big question…

Is Decaf Coffee Good For You?

While a lot matters on how sensitive you are to caffeine, decaf coffee whether good or bad for your health depends on how it is decaffeinated.

The usual way of removing caffeine from beans is by using water and carbon dioxide. Organic solvents are also used.

Beans are thoroughly washed in the solvent until all (approx. 97%) of the caffeine has been extracted and finally the solvent is removed.

decaf coffee

After this, the process of roasting and grounding starts.

According to Health Line, “The nutritional value of decaf coffee should be almost identical to regular coffee, apart from the caffeine content.”

Still, there is a change of taste and smell.

Even the color of coffee changes.

decaf coffee

So, let us see some benefits and side-effects of decaffeinated coffee.

Benefits of Drinking Decaf Coffee
YES! Decaf coffee has several health benefits. Some of them are listed below:

decaf coffee

  • Protects Liver: A toxin known as aflatoxin has a negative effect on your liver. It actually harms it. Decaf coffee is effective against it and seems to be protective for your liver. Not only that, it enhances liver function and boosts detoxification process.
  • Boosts Brain Function: Coffee itself is great for brain cognition. One of the studies on aged rats supplemented with 0.55 percent coffee-pertaining diet (equivalent to 10 cups of coffee per day) uncovered that rats ingested it and displayed a better performance in psychomotor testing and memory tasks.
  • Improved Cardiovascular Health: Both decaf and caffeinated coffee have a positive impact on endothelial function. This function is responsible for modulating blood flow vasodilation and vasoconstriction. In simple, supplying the right amount of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body. Needless to say decaf coffee has less of a positive impact on endothelial function as compared to caffeinated one.
  • Lowers The Risk Of Diabetes: A study from American Diabetes Association tells that both decaf and caffeinated coffee tends to lower the risk of diabetes. Ingredients in coffee such as lignans and chlorogenic acid are good for glucose metabolism effects and also for reducing oxidative stress in the body.
  • Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Both regular and decaf coffee have positive effects on the age-related mental decline. The chlorogenic acid in coffee helps to reduce the risk of dementia.

Side-Effects
While there are no side effects associated with decaf coffee and aren’t as well-studied, however; regarding coffee, there are a few common side effects.

The most common side effects of coffee are on nutrient interactions in the body and non-heme iron absorption.

When you consume a cup of coffee, the risk of hip fractures increases. The reason is, coffee decreases calcium absorption in bones by four to six milligrams for each cup.

Similarly, it also hinders the body’s ability to absorb iron.

decaf coffee

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How Much Is Caffeine Content In Decaf Coffee?

Though a major caffeine content is extracted during the decaffeination process, decaf coffee is not completely caffeine free.

On average, 3 mg of caffeine is present per cup of coffee.

To be precise, in a 180 ml cup of decaf coffee, there is 0-7 mg of caffeine.

Should You Choose Decaf Over Regular?

Once again, it all comes down to tolerance for caffeine.

I don’t go to sleep until I’ve had at least 4 cups of coffee a day.

However, for others, one cup may be excessive and can exhaust their central nervous system.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, decaf coffee is the best option for you.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also advised to limit their caffeine intake. Decaf is a great option for them.

Finally, if you have a medical condition that restricts you from not exceeding a certain amount of caffeine per day, you should prefer decaf over regular coffee.

Conclusion

Coffee being one of the most popular beverages in the world has both benefits and side-effects.

The caffeine content present in coffee is what causes problems for some individuals.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, decaf is a great way to enjoy coffee without any side-effects.

Do you think a friend of yours is sensitive to caffeine? Share this article and let them know about decaf coffee.

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